Food package



June 5, 1962 J. H. DEBS 3,037,677

FOOD PACKAGE Filed March 4, 1959 INVENTOR.

E6714 Jc mmejip z United States Patent Illinois 1 Filed Mar. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 797,165 3 Claims. (Cl. 2295.6)

This invention relates to a metal foil container for use in the packaging of goods and in which goods can be heated for warming, baking and the like, and it relates more particularly to a packaged goods and container in which the packaged goods may be displayed for sale.

To the present, goods to be heated or baked have been packaged in containers formed of metal foil, but such containers have generally been fabricated into a package adapted to be stacked one on another on a shelf or platform with separate means for display of the goods contained therein. It is deemed desirable to fabricate a package of the type described in which the package itself embodies the display means for identification of the goods contained therein, and it is an object of this invention to provide a package and container of the type described which is capable of display for identification of its content material while simultaneously providing a thin foil container in which the goods may be packaged for sale and for subsequent heating or baking for use.

Another object is to provide a container of thin metal foil which is capable of efficient and economical manufacture; which is capable of self-display for advertisement and identification purposes; which is capable of use to contain the goods in a compact package which can be stacked for maximum utilization of sale or display space; which can be used as a container in which the goods can be heated or baked, and in which the baked or heated goods can be served for consumption or use.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a completed package embodying the features of this invention;

FIGURE 24 is a perspective elevational view of the package shown in FIGURE 1 in position for display;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the package shown in FIGURE 2.;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views of a corner construction of a container embodying the features of this invention.

The concepts of this invention reside in a container of prismatic shape, such as a rectangular container having a bottom wall 10, side and end walls 12 and 14, respectively, which extend upwardly substantially perpendicularly from the outer edges of the bottom wall, with a slight outward taper to provide a dished construction. Integral with the upper edges of the side and end walls are flanged portions 16 which extend laterally outwardly in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom wall, with a free edge portion 18 extending upwardly from the outer edge of the flange or ledge for doubling back over the ledge, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, to grip the outer edges of a cover "20 therebetween.

The cover 20 comprises a flat strip of metallic film stock dimensioned to be greater in the lengthwise and crosswise dimensions than the corresponding lengthwise and crosswise dimensions between the upper edges of the side and end walls but less than the corresponding lengthwise and crosswise dimensions of the outer edges of the flanged ledge portion so that the cover 20 will be received in fit- 3,037,677 Patented June 5, 1962 ting relationship on the flanged ledge 16 while covering the opening therebetween.

The dished portion of the container and the cover can be formed of foils of aluminum, stainless steel or other metallic sheet or laminate. The cover may be formed with a Window for visual access to the interior of the container for observation of the goods packaged therein. In the alternative, as illustrated in the drawings, the cover may be stencilled or otherwise provided with a label 22 identifying the content material and advertisement thereof.

An important concept of this invention resides in a construction wherein the package can be positioned upright on a shelf 24 to arrange the cover outermost for the container, are folded downwardly onto the flanged ledge with the edge of the cover in between. The other edge 28 is folded over onto the flanged ledge and then the three thicknesses of metal including the flanged ledge 16, the folded-over free edge portion 18, and the edge of the cover 20, are folded outwardly to extend forwardly of the cover 20 more or less as a continuation in sub stantial parallel relation with the adjacent side wall to provide a continuous platform 30 having the major portion of its length positioned rearwardly of the cover and a stiffened integral portion of shorter length extending forwardly of the cover. The sections forming the described platform can be bent to extend substantially perpendicularly from the bottom wall It) so that the center of gravity of the package will extend through an intermediate portion of the platform between its inner and outer edges. Thus the package can be stood upright on the side wall and edge forming the support platform for display.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided an improved package which can be used not only for housing a material for sale but which, in itself, can be used as a display for the identification and for the advertisement of the goods contained therein. It will be apparent from the description that means are provided within the package for functioning as a reinforced platform upon which the package may rest to support the package in an upright position on a shelf, counter or the like.

It will be understood that the platform may be fabricated on one of the other sides of the package, and that the package may be formed of other prismatic shapes having one wall which is substantially flat for use as a support, with the remaining portion bent to be parallel with the side wall portion extending substantially perpendicularly from the bottom wall to enable the package to be positioned upright on the shelf.

It will be further understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A food package formed of metallic foil which is stiif enough to maintain shape but flexible enough to be bent along edge portions comprising a bottom wall of prismatic shape, a cover, continuous side and end walls extending upwardly with an outward flair from the edges of the bottom wall, a continuous ledge portion extending outwardly from the upper edge portions of the side and end walls substantially parallelly to said bottom wall, and a free edge portion extending upwardly from the outer edges of the ledge portion to provide a receiving recess for seating a cover member when in unfolded position and for receiving the outer edge portions of the cover member between the ledge and the free edge portion when said free edge portion is folded downwardly in overlapping relation with said outer edge portions of the cover member, said cover being dimensioned to have a crosswise and lengthwise dimension greater than the corresponding dimensions between the upper edges of the side and end walls but less than the corresponding dimensions between the outer edges of the ledge to enable the outer edge portions of the cover to be seated on the ledge between the ledge and the downturncd free edge portions when in the assembled relation, one of said three-ply sections which is formed by the assembled ledge, free edge portion, and cover section being bent to extend outwardly beyond the cover in substantial continuation of an adjacent wall to provide a platform on which the package can be made to stand upright upon a supporting surface.

2. A food package as claimed in claim 1 in which the Wall and outwardly bent edge in continuation thereof extends substantially perpendicularly from the bottom wall to bring the center of gravity of the entire package through the platform upon which it stands.

3. A food package as claimed in claim 1 in which the metal foil is aluminum foil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,051,467 Clark Aug. 18, 1936 2,303,344 Erne Dec. 1, 1940.

2,775,383 Kollman et al Dec. 25, 1956 2,850,391 Gunsberg Sept. 2, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 680,225 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1952 

